Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Well, it turns out that I DO know how to make Blueberry Cake, after all. I think the two main characteristics I had to include were Blue and Blueberry. So, I started with a two-layer round white cake, turned blue with food coloring. (You know, I usually do fancy shapes and piping, and lots of work, but...this was the request of Birthday Boy. Even so, I almost felt like I was letting him down. I've got to get over that.) The frosting was from the back of the box, sort of. I made standard frosting--1 box+ powdered sugar, 1 stick margarine, 1 t vanilla, a couple T milk. Then I added 1 tub lite Cool Whip and 1 t dried lemon peel and a copious amount of blue food coloring. Frosted bottom layer, added layer of blueberries. Then added second layer, frosted again. Spelled MATT with blueberries, added a few around the bottom for good measure. I thought it was done, but it turned out that what it really needed was ABC sprinkles to make it perfect. The boys both ate every bite, which doesn't usually happen. I guess it was a success!

The SotS is finished and blocked, and turned out pretty well. I'm pleased.

My dad's vest is on hold once again. I have finished both the front and the back, but... I've run out of yarn. And it is discontinued. (Note to self: Finish projects in a timely manner!) I think I've got a way to buy one more skein, but I'll be holding my breath until it gets here. It obviously won't be from the same dye lot, but it will be the same yarn, same colorway. All I have to do is the neck band and the arm bands. At least those will all be from the same dye lot. I just hope it is going to be close. I really want to get this thing off my plate.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

We have a FOUR year old! DS2 turned four today. He is, of course, very excited about his birthday, and has declared that we get to go to the Alligator Park this afternoon. (There is a slide that looks like an alligator. Nobody else in East Cobb would know what you were talking about if you referred to the Alligator Park, though, so don't try it.) Tonight we dine on pizza AT the restaurant, and we will come home to Blueberry Cake and presents. (I think I've figured out how I'm going to comply with the cake request, but the proof will be in the pudding...)

Knitting...I last wrote in early October. My, that is a lot of time. I have been making slow progress on the vest, and hope to have it done by the end of November. The Swiss-cheese scarf is done. I have also been keeping up with the SOS, or the Secret of the Stole, so that should be done next week. It is black with black beads, like my MS3, because that is what I had handy. I think it will be for my sister--she actually gets to go out now and again. Maybe I will keep the next one for myself. I've signed up for a couple more lace knit-alongs which start sometime next year, so maybe I will do one of those. Although I love the enforced pacing of the KALs, and the result is beautiful, I'm itching to knit another Lizard Ridge (and about a hundred other things). I need science to extend life expectency about 150 years, because I think I've got about that many projects lined up.

I got to do something fun a couple weeks ago... I loaded up a bunch of knitting, yarn, needles, and kids books (with knitting references/themes, of course) and read to DS1s 1st grade class. The kids seemed entertained--I hope they were. I got to show the scarf that DS and I designed when he was a little 3 year old, the Goodnight Moon afghan I designed, lace-edged pillowcases that my great-great-grandmother made, a knitted lace bonnet that my mom found at an auction or estate sale, and other things I packed in the bin. I read Derek the Knitting Dinosaur, The Long Red Scarf, Mrs. McDockerty's Knitting, and The Red Wolf. The Red Wolf is a bit weird (the princess turns her father the king into a mouse with knitted pajamas), but it was the kids' favorite. You never can tell, I guess. I don't think I was too obsessed-sounding, and the kids got to be exposed to knitting as a neat topic. It was a good day.

Well, Birthday Boy is telling me that it is time to go to the park. Ta ta!